Hand brake



Nov. 17, 1931'. R. l, QLANDER 1,831,927

HAND BRAKE Filed Jan. 30. 1950 www 7%@ Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE i ROLAND J'. OLANDER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO yW. H. MINER, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLDTOIS, A CORPORATION 0FDELAWARE HAND BRAKE Application led January 30, 1930. Serial No.424,500. v

This invention relates to improvements in hand brakes.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient handbrake. mechanism especially adapted for railway cars, wherein both theapplication of the brakes and the release thereof is effected by thesame manually operated means. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a hand brake mechanism ofthe character indicated, including a` rotary chain winding member and amanually actuated rotary driving member for the Winding member, whereinthe manually actuated member serves, when operated in one direction, towind the chain and, when operated in a reverse direction, isautomatically disengaged from the chain winding member to permitunwinding of the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a brake mechanismof the character indicated in the preceding paragraph, wherein the chainwinding member is held against retrograde rotation by a locking dogwhile the manually actuated operating member is rotated in a directionto effect winding of the chain. and wherein upon operation of saidmanually actuated member in a reverse direction, to disengage the samefrom the winding member, the locking dog is automatically thrown out ofengagement with the winding member, thereby permitting free running ofthe latterto release the brakes n completely.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is avertical, sectional view of my improved hand brake mechanism,illustratingV the same as applied to the vertical end wall of a railwaycar. Figure 2 is a vertical. sectional view corresponding substantiallyto the line 2-2 of Figure 1, said view being in a plane at right anglesto thc view shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a. view sinlilar to Figure 1,showing part only of the brake mechanism, and illustrating the same inreleased condition. And Figure 4:

is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating another embodiment of theinvention.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated inFigures 1, 2 and 3, 10 designates the vertical end wall of a railwaycar, on which my improved hand brake mechanism is mounted. In carryingout my invent-ion, I enclose the operative parts of the brake mechanismwithin a housing composed of two partsll and 12. The partl 12 forms theback wall of the housing and is in the form of a plate having threesecuring lugs 13-13 thereon. The part 11 of the housing is in the formof acover member and has a vertical wall 14 disposed parallel to thewall formed by the plate 12 and spaced therefrom. The wall 14 isprovided with top and side flanges forming top and side wall portions 15of the cover member 11. The wall portions 15 are provided with threelaterally projecting securing lugs, corresponding to the lugs 13 of theplate 12 and registering therewith, these lugs being also designated by13. The two parts of the housing are secured together by rivets 16-'16extending through the lugs 153-13 of the sections 11 and 12 of thehousing. The rivets 16 preferably also serve to secure the housing tothe end wall 10 of the car, and as shown clearly in Figure 2, extendthrough said end wall. Near the upper end, the plate'member 12 isprovided with an outwardly offset section 1'?V having a substantiallyhorizontally disposed guide slot 18 therein, which is suitablyreinforced by flange portions surrounding the opening. The cover member11 has the wall 14 thereof provided with a similar guide slot 19, whichis in alinement with Vand corresponds in length to the slot 18. Thisslot is also reinforced by outstanding flange portions, as clearly shownin Figure 2. y

My improved hand brake mechanism proper. as illustrated in Figures 1, 2and 3, comprises broadly a chain winding drum A, a

driving gear member B, a hand operated pinion or gear element C, adriving shaft D, a hand wheel E, a locking dog F and a rack G.

The chain winding drum A is in the form of a cylinder and has an annularperipheral groove 20 adapted to accommodate the brake chain 21 whenwound thereon. The drum member preferably has the gear B formed integraltherewith. Both the drum and the gear member B are rotatably supportedon a. journal pin 22 having its opposite ends fixed in the front andrear walls of the housing. The chain 21 is secured to the drum A bymeans of an outstanding lug 23 located within the groove of the drum. Asclearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the'bottom of the housing` isopen so as to accommodate the chain 21.

The pinion or gear element C is secured to the operating shaft D whichhas the .opposite ends thereof extending through the slots 18 and 19 ofthe rear and front walls of the housing. As most clearly shown in Figure2, the operating shaft D projects outwardly beyond the wall 14 of thehousing and the hand wheel. E is fixed to the outer end thereof. Thehand wheel may be secured in any suitable manner and is preferably keyedto the outer end of the shaft D and held in position by the usualsecuring nut 24 bearing on the outer face of the hub of the wheel E. Asillustrated in Figure 2. the inner end of the shaft D is nrovided with ahead member 25 of larger diameter than the width of the slot 18, therebyretaining the shaft in position. As will be evident. the Quideways 18and 19 form bearing members for rotatably supporting the shaft D andalso form gui de means for permitting movement of the shaft in a.horizontal direction toward and away from the gear B. The slots orguideways 18 and 19 are of such a. length that when the operating shaftD is located at the eXtreme righthand end of said guide slots, asclearlv shown in Fi Q'ure 1. the teeth of the pinion C intermesh withthe teeth of the gear B. At this time. the pinion is in operativedrivingrelation with the gear B and rotation of the hand wheel E, in aclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1. will effect rotation of thepinion C in a similar direction and through the pinion C and the gear Brotation of the chain winding drum in a contra-cloclrwise direction,therebv effecting winding of the chain 21 on the drum and tightening ofthe brakes. The walls of the guide slots 18 and 19 at the extremerighthand end thereof. as viewed in Figure 1, form stop means forlimiting the movement ofthe shaft D in a righthand direction, as viewedin said figure, and thereby maintain the operative engagement betweenthe pinion C and the gear B during the chain tightening operation. Therack Cr is located beneath the guideways 18 and 19 and preferablydisposed parallel to the same and spaced such a distance therefrom thatthe teeth of the pinion C will mesh with the teeth thereof. This rackmay be formed as a separate member but is preferably cast integral withthe front and rear walls of the housing, the rack being formed in twosections, each section being formed as a part of the correspondinghousing section and both sections of the rack having the teeth formedthereon. As most clearly shown in Figure 1, the inner end of the rack Gterminates to the left of a radial vertical plane, passing through theaxis of rotation of the gear B. The distance the inner end of the rackis spaced from said plane, is preferably greater than the width of oneof the teeth of the gear B. As clearly shown in Figure 1, the innertooth of the rack is so located that when the pinion C is rotated in alclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1.y with the operating shaft Ddisposed at the right-hand ends of the slots 18 and 19, the teeth of thepinion will clear the end tooth of the rack.

The locking dog F is in the form of a pivoted lever mounted on av pivotmember 26 hav ing its opposite ends fixed in the front and rear walls ofthe housing and located to the right of the gear B, as viewed inFigure 1. At the inner end, the dog F is provided with a tooth 27 whichco-operates with the teeth of the gear B to prevent retrograde rotationofthe chain winding drum. T he dog` is also provided with a pair ofspaced arms 28-28 extending therefronn'each arm being provided with anupwardly inclined section 29 adjacent the tooth of the dog, a horizontalsection 30 and a downwardly inclined outer end section 31. The two arms28 are disposed on opposite sides of the pinion C and the horizontalsections 30 of said arms are disposed above the shaft D, as clearlyshown in Figures 1 and 2.v ln the normal position of the parts with thelocking dog F resting on the gear B, the horizontal sections 8O of thearms are spaced slightly above the shaft D so as to clear the same. Aswill be evident, when the shaft D is moved to the left, as viewedinvFigure 1, the same will engage the inclined portions B1- 31 of thearms 28, thereby raising the dog F, as shown in Figure 3 anddisengaginsr the. tooth thereof from the gear B. As will be evident, thedog` is thus rendered inoperative and free running of the `gear and thechain winding drum is permitted. thereby allowing complete release ofthe brakes.

The operation of my improved hand brake mechanism is as follows:Assuming that the parts are in the position illustrated in Figures land2, rotation of the hand wheel E in a. clockwise direction effectsrotation of the pinion C in a similar direction and the pinion C meshingwith the gear B effects rotation of the chain winding drum in acontracloclrwise direction, winding the chain thereon and tightening thebrakes. During this rotation of the chain winding drum, the locking dogF, which is gravity influenced. ratchets over the gear teeth of themen'iber B and prevents retrograde rotation of the same and the chainwinding drum. When the brakes have'been fully tightened, the locking dogF holds the same in that condition.

When it is desired to release the brakes, the operating vhand wheel E isrotated in a contraclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1. Inasmuchas the gear B is held against rotation by the locking dog F, rotation ofthe pinion C, through the cooperating teeth thereof and the teeth of thegear B, will cause the pinion to travel to the left as viewed in Figure1, movement of the same being guided by the shaft D cooperating with theguide slots 18 and 19. As thepinion C rolls to the left, the teeththereof will engage the teeth of the rack G, thereby causing the pinionto travel to the left on said rack. When the pinion approaches theextreme lefthand position thereof, the shaft D of the same engages theinclined portions 31-31 of the arms of the dog F, asl hereinbeforepointed out, thereby lifting the dog. As shown in Figure 3, when thepinion C reaches its extreme lefthand position, the arms of the dog areraised to such an extent that the dog is lifted entirely clear of thegear B, thus permitting free running of the same and unwinding of thechain from the Adrum A to release the brakes.

Assuming that the brake mechanism is left in the condition shown inFigure 3, and it is desired to apply the brakes, it is merely necessaryto rotate the hand wheel in a clockwise direction to again bring thepinion into driving relation withthe gear B. As will be evident,rotation of the pinion in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3,will cause the same to travel to the right on the rack G until the samepasses from the end of the rack, whereupon the teeth of the pinion willengage with the teeth of the gear B and establish driving relationtherebetween. As hereinbefore pointed out the end walls of the slots 18and 19positively limit the movement of the shaft D in said rightbanddirection, thereby maintaining proper meshing Vrelation between thepinion and the gear B.

Continued rotation of the hand wh eel and the pinion C in a clockwisedirection effects tightening of the brake chain, as hereinbeforedescribed.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure4, the same also comprises a brake mechanism which is enclosed. within ahousing mounted on the end wall of the car. the housing being designatedby 111 and being preferably formed of two sections, substantiallysimilar to the sections of the housing illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and3. In this embodiment ofthe invention, the brake mechanism comprises achain winding drum, a driving gear, a cooperating pinion. a drive shaftand a hand wheel substantially the same as the corresponding elementshe-reinbefore described. The driving gear of the hand brake Vmechanismillustrated in Figure 4 is indicated by B', the pinion by C and thedriving shaft by D. The front and rear walls of the housing 111 are alsoprovided-with alined guide slots 118, which are similar to the guideslots 18 and 19 hereinbefore described and accommodate the operatingshaft D for movement in a horizontal path.

The gear B is provided vwith internal ratchet teeth 140 with which alocking dog F cooperates. The locking dog F is carried on the outer endof an oscillating member 141 pivoted between its ends on the shaft 142which rotatably supports the chain winding drum and the gear B. Theinner end of the dog F is pivoted to the outer end of the bottom arm ofsaid member 141. The upper arm of the member 141 normally extendssubstantially vertically, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The dog F issupported by an outstanding lug member 143 formed on one of the Walls ofthe housing which limits the downward movement of the dog to maintainthe same in locking engagement with the ratchet teeth of the gear B. Aswill be evident, the

dog is 'free to swing upwardly, thereby permitting ratcheting actionwhen the gear B is rotated in a contra-clockwise direction. A rackmember G cooperates with the pinion C, the rack member being slidablysupported on shelves 144-144 formed on the housing walls. At the lowerside, the rack G is provided with a notch 145 within which the end ofthe upper arm of the oscillating member 141 engages. rlhe teeth of therack G are so arranged that when the locking dog F is in the positionshown, the teeth of the pinion C will clear the tooth at the righthandend of the rack so as to permit free rotation of the pinion C withrespect to said rack.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 4, and it isdesired to apply the brakes, the shaft D is rotated in a clockwisedirection by means of the usual hand wheel, not shown, thereby causingrotation of the pinion C in a similar direction. Inasmuch as the pinionC is held against movement toward the right by the end walls of theguide slot 118, the pinion is confined to rotary movement and throughengagement with the teeth of the gear B effects rotation of the latteris a contra-clockwise direction, therebyeifecting winding of the chainon the drum.v Retrograde rotation during the winding operation isprevented by the locking dog F". l/Vhen it is desired to release thebrakes. the shaft C is rotated in a contracloclrwise direction, andinasmuch as the gear B is held against rotation by the locking dog F,the pinion C will be forced to travel bodily to the left. as viewed inFigure 4. By this movement of the pinion, the teeth thereof will bebrought into engagement with the teeth of the rack G', thereby causingfurther travel to the left of the pinion C. When the pinionv C has beendisplaced to the left to such an extent that the shaft D engages thelefthand end walls of the slots 118, further rotation of the pinion Cwill cause movement to the right of the rack Gr. Through the movement ofthe rack in a righthand direction, the member 141 will be oscillated,thereby withdrawing the locking dog F from engagement with the ratchetteeth of the gear B. When the dog has been thus disengaged from the gearB', the chain winding drum will be free to rotate to release the brakes.

Assuming` that the brake mechanism has been released as hereinbet'oredescribed, and the pinion C is at the eXtreme lefthand end of its limitof travel, and it is desired to again apply the brakes, it is merelynecessary to rotate the hand wheel in a. direction to efl'ect clockwiserotation of the shaft D and the pinion C. Rotation in this directionwill first eectmovement of the pinion to the right on the rack G untilthe shaft D engages the end walls ot the slots, whereupon furtherrotation of the pinion effects movement of the rack G to lthe lett, asviewed in Figure 4, thereby throwing the locking dog F into operativeengagement with the ratchet teeth of the gear B. When the dog has beenthus engaged, the gear C will be freed from the rack as shown in Figure4 and thus permitting the brakes to be tightened in the mannerhereinbefore described.

From the preceding description taken in connection with the drawings, itwill be evident that I have provided an exceedingly simple and etlicientbrake mechanism, wherein the brakemans attention is required only inoperating the hand wheel, the releasing of the brakes being entirelyautomatic, and rotation of the manually operated hand wheel in a chainwinding direction effecting tightening ot the brakes and a reversevrotation thereof, automatically effecting disengagement ot the manuallyoperated driving member from the driving means of the chain windingelement and also releasing the locking dog to permit free running of thechain winding drum and complete release of the brakes. Y K v It isfurther pointed out that the operation oi releasing the locking dog isentirely automatic 'and is eii'ective only after the driving element hasbeen disengaged from the chain winding element` thereby protectingl thebrakeman against accidental injury by ent-irelv eliminating backwardrotation of the han d wheel through the tension of the brake chain, thedriving means being at all times disengaged prior to release of thelocking dog. Y I have herein shown and described what I now consider thepreferred manner of carrving out my invention, but the same is merelyillustrative and I contemplate all changes and modilications that comewithin the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a hand bra re for railway cars, the combination with a chainwinding member; of manually operated means i'or actuating said windingmember; means for maintaining said manually operated means in operativeengagement with said winding member when said manually operated means isactuated in a direction to tighten the brakes; means for preventingretrograde rotation of said winding means; and means for automaticallydisengaging said manually operated means from said winding means whenthe former is operated in a reverse direction and throwing said meansfor preventing retrograde rotation ont of operation to completelyrelease the brakes.

2. In a hand brake mechanism for railway cars, the combination with achain tightening member; oit' manually actuated means for operating saidtightening member, said means being operable in reverse directions;means tor maintaining operative engagement of said means and member whenthe former is actuated in one of said directions to effect tightening ofthe brakes; means for preventing retrograde rotation of said windingmeans; and means for automatically disengaging said manually operatedmeans from said winding means when the former is operated in a reversedirection and throwing said means for preventing retrograde rotation ofthe winding means out of operation to completely release the brakes.

3. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a rotary chainwinding element; of rotary driving means operatively connected to saidelement; a manually actuated rotary member for operating said drivingmeans, said member being movable toward said means to operatively engagethe same in driving relation therewith; and means tor automaticallymoving said rotary member toward said driving means and engaging thesame therewith when said member is rotated in a direction to wind thechain and automatically move said member out of engagement with saiddriving means when the former is rotated in a reverse direction, saidlast named means including a releasable locking mechanism for holdingsaid chain-windine4 element against rotation in one direction.

il. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a rotary chainwinding element; or rotary driving means operatively connected to saidelement; a manually actuated rotary member for operating said drivingmeans, said member being movable toward said means to operatively engagethe same in driving relation therewith; means for locking said windingelement against retrograde rotation; and means for automatically movingsaid rotary member toward said driving means and engaging the sametherewith when said member is rotated in a direction to wind the chainand automatically move said member out of engagement with said drivingmeans when the former is rotated in a reverse direction, movement ofsaid member away from said rotary driving means rendering said lockingmeans inoperative.

5. In a hand brake, the combination with a rotary chain winding element;of a driving gear operatively connected to said element; a manuallyVactuated rotary gea-r member, said gear member being movable toward andaway from said driving gear; means cooperating with said gear member formoving the same toward said driving gear to engage the same therewithwhen the former is rotated in a direction to wind the chain, and movingthe same away from said driving gear member to disengage said parts whensaid rotary gear member is rotated in a reverse direction; means formaintaining themanually actuated gear member in driving relation withsaid driving gear when the manually actuated gear member is rotated in achain winding direction; releasable locking means normally operative forpreventing rotation of said winding element in an unwinding direction,and means actuated by movement of said manually actuated gear memberaway from said driving gear for releasing said locking means fromoperative engagement with the winding element.

6. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a rotary chainwinding drum;

of a driving gear operatively connected to said drum; a manuallyactuated rotary gear member movable toward and away from said drivinggear to engage the same therewith and disengage the same therefrom; stopmeans for limiting movement of said manually actuated gear member towardsaid driving gear and maintaining the same operatively engagedtherewith; a rack member cooperating with said manually actuated gearmember for effecting movement of the latter toward and away from saiddriving gear when said member is rotated in chain winding and unwindingdirections; and a locking dog normally holding said winding drum againstretrograde rotation, said dog being thrown out of holding engagement bymovement of said manually actuated member away from said driving gear. y

7. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a chain winding drum;of a driving gear operatively connected to the drum and rotatable abouta xed axis; a manually actuated gear member cooperating with saiddriving gear, said manually actuated gear member being rotatable in onedirection to wind the chain and also rotatable in a reverse direction;means for guiding said manually actuated gear member toward and awayfrom said driving gear; means cooperating with-said manually actuatedgear member! for eli'ecting movement of the same toward said drivinggear when the former is rotated in a chain winding direction tooperatively engage the same with said driving gear to effect rotation ofthe chain winding drum, andeffecting movement of said manually actuatedmember away from said driving gear to disengage the same therefrom whenthe former is" rotated in said reverse direction; releasable holdingmeans cooperating with the drum for preventing retrograde rotation ofthe latter; and means ac- `and rack means between said guidewa sengageable with said gear element, sai `rack means extending in the samedirection as said guideways, said manually actuated shaft being movablein said guideways toward and away from the gear member. f

Y 9. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination Vwith a'rotary chainwinding drum; of a driving gear member operatively connected to saiddrum, said gear member being rotatableabout a fixed axis; a manuallyoperated shaft; a rotary gear elementfxed to .saidshaftl and adapted tobe engaged with said gear member; guideways for said shaft extendingtoward said gear member; rack means engageable with said gear element,said rack means being adjacent said guidewaysand ,extending in the samedirection, said ,manually actuated shaft being movable in said guidewaystoward and away from the gear member; a gravity actuatedlocking dogfor-preventing retrograde rotation of said winding drum; and meansengaged by said shaft when moved away from said. gear member forwithdrawing the dog from operative locking engagement with said drum.

' 10. In a hand brake for railway cars, the combination with atightening member; of means operative in reverse directions for ac=tuating said chaintightening member, said actuating means when operatedin one directionefl'ecting tightening of the brakes and when actuated ina reverse direction operating said tightening member in a direction torelease the brakes; locking means for preventing release of the brakes;and means for automatically withdrawing said locking means fromoperative engagement when said actuating means is operated in adirection to effect release of the brakes, and automatically eectingreengagement of said locking means when the actuating member is operatedin a direction to tighten the brakes.

l1. In a hand brake for railway cars, the

combination with a rotary chain winding member; of an operating membergeared to said winding member for rotating the same;

a locking dog cooperating with said winding member to prevent retrograderotation thereof; and means thrown into operation by rotation of theoperating member for disengaging said locking dog to release the brakes,when said operating member is rotated in chain unwinding direction andeffecting operative engagement of said dog when said operating memberisl rotated in a chain winding direction.

12. In a hand brake for railway cars, the combination with achain-winding member; 2i of a manually operated element rotatable inreverse directions; interengaging means on said element and memberconnecting the same in driving relation; means for maintaining saidinterengaging means of said element and member engaged when saidmanually operated element is rotated in one direction to communicaterotation to said member in a direction to tighten the brakes; releasablemeans for holding said member against ro- 30 tation, whereby saidelement is moved away from said member upon rotation of said element ina reverse direction; and means cooperating with said element uponmovement thereof away from said member for completely severing thedriving relation between said element and member.

13. In a hand brake mechanism, the cornbination with a rotarychain-winding mem ber; of a driving element connected thereto; 4.o arotary manually actuated operating means rotatable in reversedirections; a ratchet member preventing rotation of said winding memberin unwinding direction; and means actuated by rotation of said operatingmeans in one direction for connecting said operating means and drivingmeans to rotate the chainwinding member continuously in unison therewithto wind the chain thereon and Y tighten the brakes, and actuated byrotation 5o in a reverse direction of said operating means fordisconnecting said operating means and driving means.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 28th day of January, 1930.

ROLAND J. OLANDER.

